


A Hero Was Tony Stark

by SanoSSagara



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 23:23:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2002023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SanoSSagara/pseuds/SanoSSagara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers and Tony Stark have become friends. Steve thinking about what makes a hero, and what makes Tony, well, Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hero Was Tony Stark

It all happened very suddenly for Steve. The realization of just who Tony Stark really was.

Contrary to even his own beliefs it did not, however, happen the day Tony flew the nuke into the rift. It was three weeks later, when Steve was watching Dr. Banner and Stark working in the Big Lab on something or other.

"Mr. Grumpy! Hand me that calibrator!" Tony was head and shoulders deep inside of a pod-type contraption that pulsed with the same glow of Tony's arc reactor. Bruce slide the high-tech tool into Tony's groping hand and in a moment the room was filled with dense white steam.

"Was supposed to happen!" Stark yelled.

Steve watched the two scientists work quietly. He enjoyed watching as complicated schematics and fanciful ideas grew into being as they tinkered. Occasionally he would help, and in the process learn. He learned about the new science of this time, and he learned about the man who irrevocably changed his own life trying to replicate the experiment done on Steve. And he learned that Tony really was a hero.

It wasn't the deeply patriotic and near-single-minded heroicism that Captain America possessed. It wasn't the reluctant and fearful kind that Dr. Banner tried to hide. And it certainly wasn't the occupational and slightly apathetic type that Natasha and Clint carried. In fact it was closer to—but not the same as—the kind of headstrong and swirling heroics that Thor wore like a cloak.

Tony was everything he seemed. He was a genius. He was a playboy (though Pepper had reeled that in tightly). He donated money generously—often in sums so large that he shamed other billion- and millionaires into their own lavish donations.

He worked constantly. Dozens of projects running at once. Water treatment systems costing millions but given away at a fraction of that. Medical breakthroughs funded and cutting edge technology being thrust onto the market. Clean energy by the truckloads.

Tony was vain. He was flamboyant. He loved circus and drama and fanfare. But the really important things he did were overlooked in favor of his flashier inventions.

Tony gave so much of himself that Steve wondered.

So he researched.

Tony was trying to apologize. Trying to fix. He had become complacent and had let trust backfire. So now he apologized. Every event, every breakthrough, everything the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist… hero did, was an apology.

One day when Steve was presented with a new lining for his suit; one with heating elements and a much tougher fiber, well padded and fitting like a glove, Steve saw his opportunity too.

"I'm sorry Tony,"

A smile and a quip, but Steve knew that Tony understood.

A hero did what they thought was right, and did what they could. A hero was a man who swerved in a new direction to fix what was broken. A hero was IronMan.

A hero was Tony Stark.

A/N-Well, friendship, kind of bittersweet, and very short. I wrote this on vacation as well and the paper still smells like saltwater and suntan lotion and neoprene.

Hope you enjoyed, please review!


End file.
